Are Cicis franchisees required to keep electronic copies of the Manuals secure?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Any physical copies of the Manuals that we provide to you must be kept in a secure place on your Restaurant premises. Both physical and electronic copies of the Manuals may be made accessible only to those of your Owners and employees who need to know their contents and only after they have signed a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance we approve, pursuant to which they agree to maintain the same level of confidence to which you are bound under this Agreement. We may, from time to time, revise the contents of the Manuals, and you hereby expressly agree to comply with each new or changed standard. In the event of any dispute as to the contents of the Manuals, the terms of the master copy of the Manuals that we maintain will control.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to keep both physical and electronic copies of the Manuals secure. The Manuals are part of Cicis's Confidential Information and must be protected against improper use and disclosure. Franchisees may disclose the Manuals to their employees who need to know the contents, but only if those employees are bound by written obligations of confidentiality. These confidentiality agreements must be in a form and substance approved by Cicis, ensuring that employees maintain the same level of confidentiality as the franchisee.
This requirement ensures that Cicis's proprietary information and operational standards are not compromised. The FDD states that franchisees cannot copy, duplicate, record, reproduce, distribute, or publish any part of the Manuals or use its contents in any other business. This restriction is in place to maintain the uniformity and integrity of the Cicis system. The master copy of the Manuals, maintained by Cicis, is the controlling copy in case of any dispute about the contents.
For a prospective Cicis franchisee, this means implementing robust security measures to protect both physical and electronic copies of the Manuals. This includes controlling access to the Manuals, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access, and that all such personnel have signed confidentiality agreements. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in a breach of the franchise agreement and potential legal consequences. Franchisees should also be prepared to update their security measures as Cicis revises the contents of the Manuals from time to time.
In addition to the Manuals, Cicis also has the sole right to develop an internal communications network (“Intranet”) through which they and their franchisees can communicate by e-mail or similar electronic means. If Cicis develops an Intranet, franchisees will use it in accordance with all applicable Laws and in strict compliance with the standards, protocols, and restrictions that Cicis includes in the Manuals, including standards, protocols, and restrictions relating to the encryption of Confidential Information and prohibitions against the transmission of libelous, derogatory, or defamatory statements.